A 28-YEAR-OLD Limerick man has appeared in court charged with causing €16,000 in criminal damage to the clubhouse bar counter at Wolfe Tones GAA club – club of Clare All-Ireland winning senior hurling manager and double All-Ireland winner as a player, Brian Lohan.
At Ennis District Court, Owen Casey also appeared in connection with the burglary of Wolfe Tones GAA Clubhouse in Shannon on the same date as the alleged criminal damage offence on July 9, 2024.
In total, Mr Casey, of Salvia Court, Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick, is accused of 63 offences.
In evidence, Detective Garda Aoife O’Malley told the bail hearing that Mr Casey, along with two others, are suspected to be involved in burglaries and stealing high value vehicles across the Mid West with a combined estimated value in excess of €1million.
Detective Garda O’Malley said that the Garda investigation commenced out of Ennis Garda Station last July and is investigating 92 separate alleged offences, including 31 commercial burglaries, 24 residential burglaries, and 27 unauthorised taking of vehicles between January 2024 and March 2025.
Detective O’Malley said it will be alleged that the vehicles were stolen to buy for another criminal network for financial gain, adding that the burglaries were “highly organised”.
She said that, in relation to some of the unauthorised vehicle thefts, there are videos of the alleged crimes occurring.
Det O’Malley said that Mr Casey – formerly of Castletroy, Limerick – could be facing “further more serious charges” as part of a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
She said that Mr Casey is accused of carrying out 27 burglaries across Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, and Galway.
Mr Casey is alleged to committed seven burglaries on February 2, 2024, at Carry Out, Drumgeely, Shannon; Subway restaurant, Shannon; High Maintenance, Limerick Rd, Ennis; Remix, Limerick Rd, Ennis; Tech Station, Killaloe; The Washer Woman, Main Street, Ballina; and Corbally Centre, Corbally, Limerick.
Along with the alleged burglary of Wolfe Tones, Shannon, on July 9, 2024, Mr Casey is alleged to have committed burglaries on the same day at Day Break, Crusheen; News and Views, Bridge Street, Gort; Hair Symphony, Clarinbridge; Poppy Seed, Clarinbridge; Gala Chinese, Castle Street, Oranmore; and the Oran Tan Castle, Oranmore, County Galway.
Mr Casey is also charged with four other burglaries on one day on July 5, 2024, at Rogers Bar, Main Street, Scariff; the Electronic Store, Market Square, Scariff; Ponaire, Main Street, Adare; and Gadget Fix, Main Street, Adare.
Other burglaries for which he is charged were at Star Court and The Salon, Ballycasey, Shannon last May and Maxol, Clarecastle, on May 18, 2024, and a home at Lansdowne Park, Ennis Rd, Limerick on August 23 last.
Mr Casey is charged with the four unauthorised taking of vehicles including two BMW X5s, one Audi A6, and one Porsche Cayenne.
Judge Alec Gabbett remanded Mr Casey in custody to appear at Ennis District Court this Wednesday (April 23) via video link from Limerick prison.
